The harem is too complicated; the empress, a lazy bum, wins by doing nothing.

Chapter 39 A Bowl of Safflower

"Your Majesty, you mustn't slander me. Our lady is the best lady in the whole world." Zhen'er said, and couldn't help but reach out and hug Shen Qingwan.

This scene was witnessed by Consort Shu as she walked in.

"This concubine greets Your Majesty the Empress. May Your Majesty be blessed!" Consort Shu knelt on the ground and bowed.

"Get up."

The Empress gestured for her to sit down at the food platter: "This girl is bragging to me that Consort Shu gave her a reward, and she's overjoyed."

Consort Shu was taken aback.

Normally, the servants in the palace would hide their reward money, fearing that their masters would find out and punish them.

Unexpectedly, the Empress was so magnanimous. When Zhen'er told her about this, she was not only not angry, but she could even joke with her.

"Please sit down. The imperial kitchen has prepared a few dishes according to your taste. I don't know if they are your favorites."

Consort Shu glanced at the food plate.

Indeed, four or five of the dishes were dishes that Yonghe Palace often ordered on a regular basis.

"I thank Your Majesty for your kindness. These are indeed all my favorite foods," Consort Shu said, moved.

"Then let's not be shy, let's start eating."

"Yes, Queen."

After the two had eaten for a while, Consort Shu couldn't help but ask, "Your Majesty, may I ask what brings you here?"

Shen Qingwan didn't beat around the bush: "It's like this, today the Empress Dowager summoned me and said that Consort Xian's health might not be very good and she wanted to find a foster mother for the Third Prince. I thought of you, and the Empress Dowager also felt there was no problem with it. However, this matter is not something that can be decided just because the Empress Dowager and I think it is okay. We still need to ask for your opinion."

When Consort Shu heard about this, she was first startled, and then her expression became more and more complicated.

Consort Shu had been serving Emperor Yuanwu since he was a prince.

When she first entered the mansion, she was very favored. At that time, a concubine in the mansion couldn't stand it and bribed a maid in Consort Shu's room to add an excessive amount of safflower to her medicine.

Consort Shu's health was damaged from then on. The imperial physician said that she might still be able to conceive in the future, but that was just a comforting statement. A woman whose health was damaged by that bowl of safflower soup would basically never have children in her life.

Emperor Yuanwu was furious and executed the maid, but Consort Shu would never have a child of her own again.

"Your Majesty, I am naturally overjoyed that the Third Prince can be raised by me. However, I am afraid that he will not be raised well. I am even more worried that if Consort Xian recovers one day, she will ask me to take the Third Prince back..."

"I have already spoken to the Empress Dowager about your concerns. Since you have entrusted the Third Prince to your care, there is no reason to take him back. Moreover, given Consort Xian's current condition, I am afraid her chances of survival are slim. The Third Prince is still young and has no memory of these things. Even when he grows up and learns about these events, he will only be grateful for your upbringing. As for the rest, you just need to do what you should do. The rest is up to me and the Empress Dowager."

Consort Shu rose and knelt on the ground: "Since Your Majesty the Empress has said so, I will definitely treat the Third Prince as my own son and do my best to raise him."

In the evening, the Empress accompanied Consort Shu to Consort Xian's palace.

The eunuch finished reading the imperial edict.

Consort Shu carried the Third Prince, along with his wet nurse, palace maids, and eunuchs, and returned to Yonghe Palace with her.

Shen Qingwan glanced at Consort Shu's hand.

The nail guards she wore during lunch had been removed by Consort Shu. On the way back with the Third Prince, she was very careful, afraid of dropping him.

Shen Qingwan thought to herself, it seems she didn't make a mistake in choosing the Third Prince as her foster mother. As the two walked side by side, Consort Shu couldn't help but speak up: "It's truly unexpected that the maidservant who serves Consort Xian is so beautiful. The Imperial Household Department really is sending beauties to the palace of beauties; nowadays..."

"Your Highness, I heard that this palace maid wasn't sent by the Imperial Household Department. She was personally sent in by the General's Mansion after Xiang'er went there," Chun'er said cautiously, lowering her voice.

Was it sent in from the General's Mansion?

Shen Qingwan and Consort Shu stopped walking at the same time without realizing it, and the two looked at each other.

The news that Consort Shu was raising the Third Prince quickly spread throughout the palace.

Consort De could no longer sit still.

When Shen Qingwan returned to Kunning Palace, Consort De was waiting for her in the main hall, weeping.

"Your Majesty, I know that my previous actions have displeased you. I truly know I was wrong. Why did Your Majesty give the Third Prince to Consort Shu to raise? Has Your Majesty really forgotten me?"

Shen Qingwan: ...

That tea-scented tone.

The way Consort De spoke made it sound like she was vying for the emperor's favor.

"Consort De, please get up first." Shen Qingwan sat down.

"If Your Majesty cannot give me an explanation today, I will kneel here and not get up," Consort De said defiantly.

"Alright then, kneel if you like." Shen Qingwan picked up her teacup and took a small sip.

Concubine De: ...

"No, Your Majesty the Empress..." Consort De scrambled to her feet and approached Shen Qingwan. "What's wrong with Your Majesty the Empress today? Has Your Majesty forgotten that before your serious illness, you and I had the best relationship in the entire palace? How come you've become so distant after your illness?"

Shen Qingwan paused, her fingers holding the teacup still.

It would have been better if we hadn't brought this up.

Bringing up this matter...

Back then, the original owner was arrogant and domineering in the harem, looking down on everyone and constantly causing trouble for this person or bullying that newcomer.

In the end, besides the fact that the original owner was brainless and too trusting of others, it was also because Consort De spoke ill of others behind their backs.

Over time, everyone in the palace, from top to bottom, feared that the original owner was the empress and couldn't do anything to her, but they couldn't hide their deep-seated hatred for her.

The conflict escalated, and eventually, after being brainwashed by Consort De time and time again, the original owner became Consort De's tool, even to the point where she could be used against whomever Consort De pointed.

"Whether it's good or bad, we're all sisters serving the Emperor together. The Third Prince following Consort Shu isn't something I can decide alone. Consort De used to be at odds with Consort Xian, but now she's so magnanimous as to be willing to raise her child?"

Hearing Shen Qingwan's words, Consort De's face suddenly froze: "I do not like Consort Xian, but Consort Xian is Consort Xian, and the Third Prince is the Third Prince. The child is ultimately innocent."

"Yes, the child is indeed innocent. Back when Consort Shu was in the mansion, the maidservant made a bowl of medicine laced with safflower. I think Consort De should know about it."

Consort De's expression stiffened, and her eyes darted around quickly: "Why did Your Majesty suddenly bring this up? Didn't His Majesty already investigate and punish that maid? Wasn't this matter over?"

"Yes, the matter is indeed over for you, but Consort Shu will never be able to have her own children because of that bowl of safflower soup. I wonder if Consort Shu can let this matter go."

(End of this chapter)